Purpose

To consolidate, disseminate, and gather information concerning the 710 expansion into our San Rafael neighborhood and into our surrounding neighborhoods. If you have an item that you would like posted on this blog, please e-mail the item to Peggy Drouet at pdrouet@earthlink.net

But a California law
that claims to “protect school children from the health risks posed by
pollution from heavy freeway traffic” does not apply to the 39 schools
in San Diego County that lie close to major roads, including two private
schools located in communities that are among those most burdened by pollution in the state.

The law itself has been limited by weak environmental regulations
that put the enforcement burden on the backs of private citizens.

“Being close to traffic pollution is one of the greatest
environmental threats experienced by the children of San Diego,” said
Dr. Penelope Quintana, an associate professor at San Diego State
University who studies the biological impact of air pollution. “They’re a
very vulnerable population.”

Air-pollution researchers have established a strong link between children’s proximity to air pollution
— in school and at home — and pediatric asthma. Pediatric asthma is “a
leading cause of emergency department visits, hospitalizations and
missed school days,” according to the Mayo Clinic, and symptoms can follow children into their adult lives.

In 2009, the most recent year for which complete data is available, the state’s Environmental Health Tracking Program
found that more than 5,200 San Diego county children under age 18
visited the emergency room for asthma treatment and 850 were
hospitalized.

Children are among those most at risk
of pollution-related respiratory illnesses because their lungs and
immune systems are not fully developed and because they generally spend
more time outdoors than adults.